Archbishop Jan of Presov Reposes in the Lord

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The Diocesan Chancery has been informed that His Eminence, Archbishop Jan of Presov, Slovakia reposed in the Lord on Thursday, August 2, 2012 at the age of 75.

Archbishop Jan (John) Holoni was born on January 29th, 1937 in Trebišov, Slovakia. In 1958 His Eminence, completed the Orthodox Theological Faculty in Presov, and was ordained, that same year deacon and later priest.

In May of 1983 Archbishop Jan was consecrated as Bishop and assigned as ruling Bishop of the Diocese of Michalovské, which he shepherded for more than 20 years. Under his leadership, the Michalovce Vocational School Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius was established as was the St. Rastislav Children's Pre-School. After the death of the Metropolitan Nikolai, the Archbishop of Presov, and Metropolitan of Czech lands and Slovakia, Bishop Jan, was elevated to the rank of archbishop on February 6, 2006. On March 11 of that same year at an Eparchiál Assembly of the Orthodox eparchy of Prešov, Archbishop Jan was elected as Archbishop of Prešov and Slovakia and was enthroned on April 7, 2006.

Archbishop Jan is well known to the clergy and faithful of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A. Mindful of the importance of maintaining a cordial relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ of our ancestral homeland, Metropolitan Nicholas formed a close personal friendship with Archbishop Jan. Over the years, Metropolitan Nicholas travelled on numerous occasions throughout Slovakia visiting the monasteries and churches of Slovakia with Archbishop Jan. Archbishop Jan was also a frequent guest of Metropolitan Nicholas, having most notably, taken part in the consecration of the Sts Cyril and Methodios Church at Camp Nazareth in 2003.

Funeral Services will take place on Wednesday August 8, 2012 at St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Presov. Divine Liturgy will take place at 8:00 am and will be followed by the Priestly Funeral Service at 10:00 am. Burial take place in Archbishop Jan's birthplace in the village of Kravany at 5:00 pm.

May Almighty God Rest His Newly Departed Servant, The Ever-Memorable Archbishop Jan In The Mansions Of The Just and May His Memory Be Eternal!